Wine Day

Awoke this morning to a snowy, windy, cold day.  Well I knew that I had to charge the battery on Jules car as we cleaned the battery posts yesterday and then I left the keys in it and must have not gotten it turned off.  Well it was the battery.  I drug the extension cord out and the battery charger.  Hooked it up and  charged the battery.  It started and all is OK.   I also got her two tires for her car at the junk yard or recycler as it is known now.   I started a fire in the stove for the dog.  Poor puppy!

Now I am in the basement and decided to make a couple batches of wine.  I had some grape juice that is just getting old.  So "30 Day Wine"  I call it "Hillbilly Wine" as the recipe is from Tennessee.  Drinkable in 30 days. 

                                           Makes 1 gallon.

                     24 oz.         welch's frozen concentrated grape juice, thawed
                       3 Cups     granulated sugar
                       1  package  Wine Yeast
                                         enough water to make up one gallon

Mix all ingredients together well with water fill jug about an inch below the shoulders.  Cover with a clean rag secured with a rubber band.  (I use an air lock)  Keep in a dark place about 70 degrees.  About 2 weeks later replace the rag with a good thick piece of plastic wrap.  After 30 days from the start date, siphon wine off from the sediment in the bottom and drink.  For a good old "Mad Dog 20/20" type wine, add a pint of cheap blackberry brandy to the mix before drinking.

This is a simple recipe for 30 day wine.  Many old hillbillies in Tennessee still use this one, and wouldn't have it any other way.

My specialty is Rhubarb Wine this was the first wine I ever made and it has always turned out very good.  The secret is not to break open that bottle for a year, to a year and a half.  It only gets better with age.

                                             Rhubarb Wine

     3 lbs.          Rhubarb sliced up and frozen
     1 -4 inch    Cinnamon stick  (optional)
    15 0z.          Golden Raisins   (optional)
     7 Cups        granulated sugar
     2                  campden tablets, crushed
     1 tsp.           nutrients
     1/2 tsp.      pectic enzyme
     1 pkg.         Wine yeast
     1 gallon      Water

Put water in primary fermentor:(I use either a large stainless steel pot or a clean wastebasket I bought for just this purpose.)  Add pectic enzyme and campden tablets,  Stir well.  Add rhubarb and raisins, Stir well and let sit 2 days, stirring regularly.(best to put somewhere, where it is around 70 degrees)

After 2 days, strain, but DO NOT squeeze.

Return liquid to primary fermentor.  Dissolve sugar and nutrients in the liquid.  Check Specific Gravity.  It should be between 1.100 and 1.11o.  Add yeast and mix well.  Cover primary fermentor.  Let sit overnight. 

Siphon into secondary fermentor, add cinnamon stick(if using) and attach airlock.

Dry Wine:  Rack in 3 weeks, again in 3 months and every 3 months until 1 year old.    Bottle

Sweet Wine:  Rack in 3 weeks.  Add 1/2 cup sugar dissolved in 1 cup of wine.  Stir gently.  Repeat this process every six weeks until fermentation does not restart with the addition of sugar.  Rack every 3 months up to a year.  Bottle

(I don't necessarily wait a year to bottle my wine.  If it has cleared sufficiently, I will bottle it anywhere from the first 3 months, on.)

This is also very good using brown sugar in the place of the granulated sugar.  I am going to add some cloves along with the cinnamon stick this time.   It's always fun to do variations and see what it comes out like.

I have found that you can make wine making as easy or as complicated as you like.  I am a believer in the "KISS" method in both my wine and my life.  (KISS -  Keep it simple stupid)